P

Question 1

pacific

(adj.)

Answer 1

soothing

(The chemistry professor’s pacific demeanor helped the class remain calm after the experiment exploded.)

Question 2

palatable

(adj.)

Answer 2

agreeable to the taste or sensibilities

(Despite the unpleasant smell, the exotic cheese was quite palatable.)

Question 3

palette

(adj.)

Answer 3

a range of colors or qualities

(The palette of colors utilized in the painting was equaled only by the range of intense emotions the piece evoked.)

Question 4

palliate

(v.)

Answer 4

to reduce the severity of

(The doctor trusted that the new medication would palliate her patient’s discomfort.)

Question 5

pallid

(adj.)

Answer 5

lacking color

(Dr. Van Helsing feared that Lucy’s pallid complexion was due to an unexplained loss of blood.)

Question 6

panacea

(n.)

Answer 6

a remedy for all ills or difficulties

(Doctors wish there was a single panacea for every disease, but sadly there is not.)

Question 7

paradigm

(n.)

Answer 7

an example that is a perfect pattern or model

(Because the new SUV was so popular, it became the paradigm upon which all others were modeled.)

Question 8

paradox

(n.)

Answer 8

an apparently contradictory statement that is perhaps true

Question 9

paragon

(n.)

Answer 9

a model of excellence or perfection

(The mythical Helen of Troy was considered a paragon of female beauty.)

Question 10

paramount

(adj.)

Answer 10

greatest in importance, rank, character

(It was paramount that the bomb squad disconnect the blue wire before removing the fuse.)

Question 11

pariah

(n.)

Answer 11

an outcast

(Following the discovery of his plagiarism, Professor Hurley was made a pariah in all academic circles.)

Question 12

parody

(n.)

Answer 12

a satirical imitation

(A hush fell over the classroom when the teacher returned to find Deborah acting out a parody of his teaching style.)

Question 13

parsimony

(n.)

Answer 13

frugality, stinginess

(Many relatives believed that my aunt’s wealth resulted from her parsimony.)

Question 14

partisan

(n.)

Answer 14

a follower, adherent

(The king did not believe that his rival could round up enough partisans to overthrow the monarchy.)

Question 15

patent

(adj.)

Answer 15

readily seen or understood, clear

(The reason for Jim’s abdominal pain was made patent after the doctor performed a sonogram.)

Question 16

pathology

(n.)

Answer 16

a deviation from the normal

(Dr. Hastings had difficulty identifying the precise nature of Brian’s pathology.)

Question 17

pathos

(n.)

Answer 17

an emotion of sympathy

(Martha filled with pathos upon discovering the scrawny, shivering kitten at her door.)

Question 18

paucity

(adj.)

Answer 18

small in quantity

(Gilbert lamented the paucity of twentieth century literature courses available at the college.)

Question 19

pejorative

(adj.)

Answer 19

derogatory, uncomplimentary

(The evening’s headline news covered an international scandal caused by a pejorative statement the famous senator had made in reference to a foreign leader.)

Question 20

pellucid

(adj.)

Answer 20

easily intelligble, clear

(Wishing his book to be pellucid to the common man, Albert Camus avoided using complicated grammar when composing The Stranger.)

Question 21

penchant

(n.)

Answer 21

a tendency, partiality, preference

(Jill’s dinner parties quickly became monotonous on account of her penchant for Mexican dishes.)

Question 22

penitent

(adj.)

Answer 22

remorseful, regretful

(The jury’s verdict may have been more lenient if the criminal had appeared penitent for his gruesome crimes.)

Question 23

penultimate

(adj.)

Answer 23

next to last

(Having smoked the penultimate cigarette remaining in the pack, Cybil discarded the last cigarette and resolved to quit smoking.)

Question 24

penurious

(adj.)

Answer 24

miserly, stingy

(Stella complained that her husband’s penurious ways made it impossible to live the lifestyle she felt she deserved.)

Question 25

perfidious | (adj.)

Answer 25

disloyal, unfaithful ## Footnote (After the official was caught selling government secrets to enemy agents, he was executed for his **perfidious** ways.)

Question 26

perfunctory | (adj.)

Answer 26

showing little nterest or enthusiasm ## Footnote (The radio broadcaster announced the news of the massacre in a surprisingly **perfunctory** manner.)

Question 27

permeate | (v.)

Answer 27

to spread throughout, saturate ## Footnote (Mrs. Huxtable was annoyed that the wet dog’s odor had **permeated** the furniture’s upholstery.)

Question 28

pernicious | (adj.)

Answer 28

extremely destructive or harmful ## Footnote (The new government feared that the Communist sympathizers would have a **pernicious** influence on the nation’s stability.)

Question 29

perplex | (v.)

Answer 29

to confuse ## Footnote (Brad was **perplexed** by his girlfriend’s suddenly distant manner.)

Question 30

perspicacity | (adj.)

Answer 30

shrewdness, perceptiveness ## Footnote (The detective was too humble to acknowledge that his **perspicacity** was the reason for his professional success.)

Question 31

pert | (adj.)

Answer 31

flippant, bold ## Footnote (My parents forgave Sandra’s **pert** humor at the dinner table because it had been so long since they had last seen her.)

Question 32

pertinacious | (adj.)

Answer 32

stubbornly persistent ## Footnote (Harry’s parents were frustrated with his **pertinacious** insistence that a monster lived in his closet. Then they opened the closet door and were eaten.)

Question 33

perusal | (n.)

Answer 33

a careful examination, review ## Footnote (The actor agreed to accept the role after a two-month **perusal** of the movie script.)

Question 34

pervasive | (adj.)

Answer 34

having the tendency to spread throughout ## Footnote (Stepping off the plane in Havana, I recognized the **pervasive** odor of sugar cane fields on fire.)

Question 35

petulance | (n.)

Answer 35

rudeness, irritability ## Footnote (The Nanny resigned after she could no longer tolerate the child’s **petulance**.)

Question 36

philanthrophic | (adj.)

Answer 36

charitable, giving ## Footnote (Many people felt that the billionaire’s decision to donate her fortune to house the homeless was the ultimate **philanthropic** act.)

Question 37

phlegmatic | (adj.)

Answer 37

uninterested, unresponsive ## Footnote (Monique feared her dog was ill after the animal’s **phlegmatic** response to his favorite chew toy.)

Question 38

pillage | (v.)

Answer 38

to seize or plunder, especially in war ## Footnote (Invading enemy soldiers **pillaged** the homes scattered along the country’s border.)

Question 39

pinnacle | (n.)

Answer 39

the highest point ## Footnote (Book reviewers declared that the author’s new novel was extraordinary and probably the **pinnacle** of Western literature.)

Question 40

pithy | (adj.)

Answer 40

concisely meaningful ## Footnote (My father’s long-winded explanation was a stark contrast to his usually **pithy** statements.)

Question 41

pittance | (n.)

Answer 41

a very small amount, especially relating to money ## Footnote (Josh complained that he was paid a **pittance** for the great amount of work he did at the firm.)

Question 42

placate | (v.)

Answer 42

to ease the anger of, soothe ## Footnote (The man purchased a lollipop to **placate** his irritable son.)

Question 43

placid | (adj.)

Answer 43

calm, peaceful ## Footnote (The **placid** lake surface was as smooth as glass.)

Question 44

platitude | (n.)

Answer 44

an uninspired remark, cliché ## Footnote (After reading over her paper, Helene concluded that what she thought were profound insights were actually just **platitudes**.)

Question 45

plaudits | (n.)

Answer 45

enthusiastic approval, applause ## Footnote (The controversial new film received **plaudits** from even the harshest critics.)

Question 46

plausible | (adj.)

Answer 46

believable, reasonable ## Footnote (He studied all the data and then came up with a **plausible** theory that took all factors into account.)

Question 47

plenitude | (n.)

Answer 47

an abundance ## Footnote (My grandmother was overwhelmed by the **plenitude** of tomatoes her garden yielded this season.)

Question 48

plethora | (n.)

Answer 48

an abundance, excess ## Footnote (The wedding banquet included a **plethora** of oysters piled almost three feet high.)

Question 49

pliable | (adj.)

Answer 49

flexible ## Footnote (Aircraft wings are designed to be somewhat **pliable** so they do not break in heavy turbulence.)

Question 50

poignant | (adj.)

Answer 50

deeply affecting, moving ## Footnote (My teacher actually cried after reading to us the **poignant** final chapter of the novel.)

Question 51

polemic | (n.)

Answer 51

an aggressive argument against a specific opinion ## Footnote (My brother launched into a **polemic** against my arguments that capitalism was an unjust economic system.)

Question 52

portent | (n.)

Answer 52

an omen ## Footnote (When a black cat crossed my sister’s path while she was walking to school, she took it as a **portent** that she would do badly on her spelling test.)

Question 53

potable | (adj.)

Answer 53

suitable for drinking ## Footnote (During sea voyages it is essential that ships carry a supply of **potable** water because salty ocean water makes anyone who drinks it sick.)

Question 54

potentate | (n.)

Answer 54

one who has great power, a ruler ## Footnote (All the villagers stood along the town’s main road to observe as the **potentate**’s procession headed towards the capital.)

Question 55

pragmatic | (adj.)

Answer 55

practical ## Footnote (The politician argued that while increased security measures might not fit with the lofty ideals of the nation, they were a **pragmatic** necessity to ensure everyone’s safety.)

Question 57

preclude | (v.)

Answer 57

to prevent ## Footnote (My grandfather’s large and vicious guard dog **precluded** anyone from entering the yard.)

Question 58

precocious | (adj.)

Answer 58

advanced, developing ahead of time ## Footnote (Derek was so academically **precocious** that by the time he was 10 years old, he was already in the ninth grade.)

Question 59

predilection | (n.)

Answer 59

a preference or inclination for something ## Footnote (Francois has a **predilection** for eating scrambled eggs with ketchup, though I prefer to eat eggs without any condiments.)

Question 60

preponderance | (adj.)

Answer 60

superiority in importance or quantity ## Footnote (Britain’s **preponderance** of naval might secured the nation’s role as a military power.)

Question 61

prepossessing | (adj.)

Answer 61

occupying the mind to the exclusion of other thoughts of feelings ## Footnote (His **prepossessing** appearance made it impossible for me to think of anything else.)

Question 62

presage | (n.)

Answer 62

an omen ## Footnote (When my uncle’s old war injury ached, he interpreted it as a **presage** of bad weather approaching.)

Question 63

prescient | (adj.)

Answer 63

to have foreknowledge of events ## Footnote (Questioning the fortune cookie’s prediction, Ray went in search of the old hermit who was rumored to be **prescient**.)

Question 64

prescribe | (v.)

Answer 64

to lay down a rule ## Footnote (The duke **prescribed** that from this point further all of the peasants living on his lands would have to pay higher taxes.)

Question 65

presumptuous | (adj.)

Answer 65

disrespectfully bold ## Footnote (The princess grew angry after the **presumptuous** noble tried to kiss her, even though he was far below her in social status.)

Question 66

pretense | (n.)

Answer 66

an appearance or action intended to deceive ## Footnote (Though he actually wanted to use his parents’ car to go on a date, Nick borrowed his parents’ car under the **pretense** of attending a group study session.)

Question 67

primeval | (adj.)

Answer 67

original, ancient ## Footnote (The first primates to walk on two legs, called Australopithecus, were the **primeval** descendants of modern man.)

Question 68

privation | (n.)

Answer 68

lacking basic necessities ## Footnote (After decades of rule by an oppressive government that saw nothing wrong with stealing from its citizens, the recent drought only increased the people’s **privation**.)

Question 69

probity | (n.)

Answer 69

virtue, integrity ## Footnote (Because he was never viewed as a man of great **probity**, no one was surprised by Mr. Samson’s immoral behavior.)

Question 70

proclivity | (n.)

Answer 70

a strong inclination toward something ## Footnote (In a sick twist of fate, Harold’s childhood **proclivity** for torturing small animals grew into a desire to become a surgeon.)

Question 71

procure | (v.)

Answer 71

to obtain, acquire ## Footnote (The FBI was unable to **procure** sufficient evidence to charge the gangster with racketeering.)

Question 72

profane | (adj.)

Answer 72

lewd, indecent ## Footnote (Jacob’s **profane** act of dumping frogs in the holy water in the chapel at his boarding school resulted in his dismissal.)

Question 73

profligate | (adj.)

Answer 73

dissolute, extravagant ## Footnote (The **profligate** gambler loved to drink, spend money, steal, cheat, and hang out with prostitutes.)

Question 74

profuse | (adj.)

Answer 74

plentiful, abundant ## Footnote (The fans were **profuse** in their cheers for the star basketball player.)

Question 75

promulgate | (v.)

Answer 75

to proclaim, make known ## Footnote (The film professor **promulgated** that both in terms of sex appeal and political intrigue, Sean Connery’s James Bond was superior to Roger Moore’s.)

Question 76

propagate | (v.)

Answer 76

to multiply, spread out ## Footnote (Rumors of Paul McCartney’s demise **propagated** like wildfire throughout the world.)

Question 77

propensity | (n.)

Answer 77

an inclination, preference ## Footnote (Dermit has a **propensity** for dangerous activities such as bungee jumping.)

Question 78

propitious | (adj.)

Answer 78

favorable ## Footnote (The dark storm clouds visible on the horizon suggested that the weather would not be **propitious** for sailing.)

Question 79

propriety | (n.)

Answer 79

the quality or state of being proper, decent ## Footnote (The dark storm clouds visible on the horizon suggested that the weather would not be **propitious** for sailing.)

Question 80

prosaic | (adj.)

Answer 80

plain, lacking liveliness ## Footnote (Heather’s **prosaic** recital of the poem bored the audience.)

Question 81

# 1 proscribe | (v.)

Answer 81

to condemn, outlaw ## Footnote (The town council voted to **proscribe** the sale of alcohol on weekends.)

Question 82

protean | (adj.)

Answer 82

able to change shape; displaying great variety ## Footnote (Among Nigel’s **protean** talents was his ability to touch the tip of his nose with his tongue.)

Question 83

prowess | (n.)

Answer 83

extraordinary ability ## Footnote (The musician had never taken a guitar lesson in his life, making his **prowess** with the instrument even more incredible.)

Question 84

prudence | (n.)

Answer 84

cautious, circumspect ## Footnote (After losing a fortune in a stock market crash, my father vowed to practice greater **prudence** in future investments.)

Question 85

prurient | (adj.)

Answer 85

eliciting or possessing an extraordinary interest in sex ## Footnote (David’s mother was shocked by the discovery of **prurient** reading material hidden beneath her son’s mattress.)

Question 86

puerile | (adj.)

Answer 86

juvenile, immature ## Footnote (The judge demanded order after the lawyer’s **puerile** attempt to object by stomping his feet on the courtroom floor.)

Question 87

pugnacious | (adj.)

Answer 87

quarrelsome, combative ## Footnote (Aaron’s **pugnacious** nature led him to start several barroom brawls each month.)

Question 88

pulchritude | (n.)

Answer 88

physical beauty ## Footnote (Several of Shakespeare’s sonnets explore the **pulchritude** of a lovely young man.)

Question 89

punctilious | (adj.)

Answer 89

eager to follow rules or conventions ## Footnote (**Punctilious** Bobby, hall monitor extraordinaire, insisted that his peers follow the rules.)

Question 90

pungent | (adj.)

Answer 90

having a pointed, sharp quality - often user to describe smells ## Footnote (The **pungent** odor in the classroom made Joseph lose his concentration during the test.)

Question 91

punitive | (adj.)

Answer 91

involving punishment ## Footnote (If caught smoking in the boys’ room, the **punitive** result is immediate expulsion from school.)

Question 92

putrid | (adj.)

Answer 92

rotten, foul ## Footnote (Those rotten eggs smell **putrid**.)